Remembering Aruba
by Siniscule
Summary: Nico Yazawa has returned from a lengthy vacation in Aruba with her long-time girlfriend Maki Nishikino, and she is doing her best to not give Nozomi and Eli all the details. Some memories are best left with those involved.
When I think about it, perspiration immediately comes to mind.

I don't think I have ever sweated that much in my life, but sometimes just remembering the stickiness of her sea salt hair against my face is enough to get me breathing heavy again. Of course, she had to get that sticky in the first place.

Needless to say, I'm Nico Yazawa and I'm a sex god.

I know that sounds pretty intimidating but, believe it or not, it's just something that comes natural to me. Unfortunately for my adoring fans, however, I've already found the woman of my dreams. Her name is Maki Nishikino. She's the epitome of beautiful and she's freaking loaded in money, but I guess other parts about her are okay, too. Don't tell her I said that.

"Nico?"

I blink and shake my head, "Yeah? Sorry, I blanked out for a second."

"Did you already get a table for us? Nozomi and I just arrived."

"I got it," I confirm and hang up my phone, leaning to the side in an attempt to get a good look at the entrance. At the sight of purple hair, I immediately relax into my seat and gently tap my fingers against the table's surface. I scan my surroundings, between observing fellow customers and employees to idly glancing at some of the rings on my fingers and the bracelet around my wrist. It's a quaint café, so the tables aren't too large and are pretty lucky to be able to sit three of us, to be honest. Having already glanced at the menu, though, I can already tell that the ridiculously high prices are what keep such a small, hipster-ish place going.

I try to keep my grin as tame as possible, because I can already predict that Nozomi's spiritual eagle eye will see right through me if I seem too excited. I told Maki I wouldn't brag about this sort of thing, and it's totally not like I'm super proud of myself or anything. It's only been twenty five years, so it's _definitely_ not about pride.

My smile is small but genuine as Eli and Nozomi approach the table, and I stand up to greet them. It's only been two weeks, but it feels as though it's been a lot longer. Vacation does that to people.

I wonder if they'll notice anything different about me. They better.

"Hello, Nicocchi," Nozomi greets as she wraps her arm around me enthusiastically, her obnoxiously busty buoys bobbing against my petty pectorals as I try to at least keep my face at shoulder level as much as possible.

I groan, releasing myself from her grasp, "Hi, Tits."

"I missed you, too," she smirks, but I ignore her and share a more appropriate and brief hug with Eli.

Eli gives me a sympathetic look, "It's nice to see you, Nico."

We take our seats and make small talk about the café interior while we wait for the waiter to come by and ask for our orders. Garlands seem to hang between oaken beams that cross just below the peak of the ceiling, with decorated hanging lightbulbs setting a warm glow with minimalist effort. I'd prefer something a little more cutesy for a café, but the earthy undertones are a nice change from what I'm commonly used to.

"So, Nicocchi," Nozomi begins as she watches the waiter leave after having received our orders and distributing drinks, "How was Aruba? It's a popular vacation destination."

As the rush of memories hit me, I can't help but immediately think about how stupid of a question that is. Aruba was… beyond any words. Nothing could do it justice.

"Good," I sip my raspberry iced tea.

"Yeah?" Eli smiles, "I'm glad to hear! We barely heard from you, so we figured you were having an awesome time. Did you and Maki do anything special?"

The phrasing sends my mind reeling back to three days before, on one of the hottest summer nights I've ever experienced. I suddenly feel my breath hitch as I vividly recall the way Maki's toned arms had tightened around my form, her naked figure pressed bashfully against mine as I grasped encouragingly at her shoulders. My neck ignites with goosebumps as my memory retraces every individual stroke of the tongue that Maki left across my collarbone in the wake of tender hickeys.

I pray that Nozomi doesn't notice that I'm crossing my legs, "Scuba diving."

Nozomi seems surprised, "That's really adventurous! I'm proud of you two."

I smile, "Yeah, we did a lot of cool things. Maki may be more athletic than me, but she got worried about a few things here and there, too. It was actually really cute."

"Sounds like you're still in love," Eli smirks.

I deadpan, "After three years, I'd really fucking hope so."

"If I remember correctly, it's been much longer than that, Nicocchi…"

"Shut up, Nozomi! I meant in terms of us being together officially."

"I know," Nozomi says with a giggle.

Ignoring her, I continue, "But yeah, Aruba's no joke! If we weren't doing something particularly unique or planned, we practically lived on the beach. Although, I will admit, the hotel was so nice and its pool was the prettiest aquatic thing I've seen at night. I don't know how I'm going to make up for it."

Eli raises an eyebrow, "I thought you both split the costs?"

"I thought so, too, but," I frown, "I'm pretty sure Maki lowered the real cost when she told me the numbers so that she could pay for the majority of it. She can't do anything directly, like say 'I can pay for a larger portion of it this time around' or something! It pisses me off."

"You wouldn't let her even if she did say that," Eli chuckles.

I can feel a blush adorning my cheeks, "I know she doesn't look at me this way, but I guess I just don't want to even subconsciously feel pitied."

The waiter interrupts their sympathetic expressions with the food, and I'm immediately pissed off. Of course this tiny joint serves tiny portions! Or maybe I just became too used to Aruba's breakfast buffet. Either way, every bite of this pompous garbage is a symbol of me feeling offended. I try to glare holes into the guy's back as he walks away, but he doesn't seem bothered in the slightest.

"So, Nicocchi…"

Oh god, here it comes. I turn my gaze back to Nozomi in acknowledgement, even though I feel my vision blurring.

"You were in Aruba for quite some time with your girlfriend…"

Please, Nozomi, don't do this to me, you witch.

I want to vomit at her wiggling brow, "Did anything happen?"

Should I tell her how embarrassing it was to get caught and kicked out of the pool on the last night for making out despite no other guests being inside? Or how, on the way back to our room, we couldn't stop giggling despite being red faced and embarrassed out of our goddamn minds? Would I tell her how it wasn't until that moment, feeling mortified and shaken up yet laughing together in the elevator with unflattering coral towels, that I knew Maki was easily the most special and gorgeous person in my life? That I, in such a shimmering moment, felt myself accepting the fact that I was ready for the next step? How it took only two minutes and twenty four seconds to get from being clothed in the elevator door to being naked on hotel bedsheets?

Absolutely not.

I try to glare at her with the same intensity as I had with the waiter, "You're disgusting."

Eli sighs and gently punches Nozomi's shoulder, "C'mon, you know Nico is insecure about that kind of thing. Be a little more sensitive."

It's funny how a comment like that wouldn't have bothered me when I was still a virgin. But now, with me being a freshly popped cherry and all, I can't help but feel defensive.

"Oi, who are you calling insecure?"

"Well," Nozomi reaches over to pat my head like some flippant mother-in-law, "last time we asked about this sort of thing, you said you didn't feel ready."

"And," Eli rubs the back of her neck as she cuts in, "when the three of us got drinks together last year, you kind of drunkenly admitted that you were scared that Maki would laugh at you if she saw you naked."

Repression is pretty impressive if the memory is embarrassing enough. Eli and Nozomi weren't lying; I have been pretty critical of my figure ever since we disbanded μ's and I had to begin auditioning as a solo idol. I was able to get past that hurdle and find a wonderful company and following, but the insecurities came back after I started dating Maki. I was used to how our banter played out and, hell, I even enjoyed it, but I was afraid of having sex with her. In that kind of intimate moment, I don't know what I would have done if she had acted dishonest and defensively said something offensive about my body. What if my own girlfriend, the only person I could be that physically vulnerable with, called me undesirable? But, jeez, I couldn't have been more wrong.

Maki may be the type to beat around the bush or hide her feelings, but her eyes have always betrayed her. I can just tell when she wants something enough to do her best or to fight for it. Those determined eyes that I'm sure only I could ever truly understand, the kind that push and pull like waves but ultimately make it to shore. It's almost as though she's having some internal battle with herself, some inner part of her that coaches her through the pressure and says "You got this."

She looked at me that way.

I can admit that it was so intense that I had to cover myself with my arms for a moment when I first saw that stare aimed right at me. I had felt the severe heat in the air pulsate throughout my body as I nervously witnessed her eyes travel from my own and further down across the landscape of my skin. I was so frozen that I hadn't even taken her in yet, my gaze averting her at all costs as though I could somehow mentally escape the situation if I looked anywhere else.

"I love you, Nico," she had said after a few silent, awkwardly tense seconds. Her voice broke, even though it was obvious she had been trying her best to avoid sounding shaky. That's when I decided to return the favor and fix my gaze upon her figure, something that I'm sure a lesbian Greek poet would write about throughout the entirety of an epoch. Despite how fucking scared I was to do so, I was so desperate to hold her at that very moment.

"I love you, too, Maki," I had replied, lifting my chin in an attempt to raise my confidence. My voice wasn't nearly as shaky, but I knew she could see right through me no matter how well I feigned being smooth. Even if I tried to lie, she'd be able to see the truth, "I don't know what to do, babe."

I remember her blushing and looking away before admitting, "Me either."

I wonder if I'm blushing right now.

"Nico?"

I shake my head, now realizing I've zoned out and ignored Eli, "I'm sorry. Yes, okay, you're right. I'm insecure."

They're both looking at me, eyebrows raised and pupils glancing at one another every so often. They silently drink out of their glasses, both taking a bite of either a panini or crepe, before looking at each other one last time before bringing their attention back to me.

"Are you still a virgin?" Nozomi asks, and I can't say I'm surprised.

The word seems funny to me now, perhaps even childish. It sounds nothing like the way the experience felt. There's nothing that can describe the way I felt when I heard Maki moan for the first time, when I had only ever been used to the slight whimpers that came from shared hickeys or lip biting. I wonder if she felt that same feeling when we switched and I writhed underneath her.

I bite my bottom lip, "It's debatable."

"Oh my god," they manage to say in unison; as expected of married homosexuals that are always in-sync. It's hard not to soak this incredulousness right up and cackle when I promised Maki I wouldn't brag about it. However, nothing can stop me from shouting "This is why you shouldn't doubt me!" within the confines of my mind.

Nozomi leans in across the table, with Eli following suit, "Was it good?"

I mean, the sex god thing was just a joke. Is it really bragging if I just give yes or no answers? I nod, "Definitely."

Eli's blushing slightly, a clear sign that, despite her shared interest along with Nozomi, she knows this isn't easy to talk about. But her smile is sincere, "I'm happy for you two!"

"What did you guys do?" Although Eli seems to understand that hushed voices are preferred, Nozomi seems a little less reserved in the volume department.

"Nozomi, lower your voice!" Eli reprimands. Nozomi feigns innocence with puppy dog eyes.

I sigh, "It was at the hotel, so it wasn't anything particularly exotic or extreme like I'm sure you're hoping."

"Nicocchi, this is you and _Maki_ we're talking about. The fact that you two did anything at all is steamy enough as is."

"Sh-Shut up!"

"So what happened?"

I'm blushing, "We kinda' got caught up in the moment after returning from the pool and sorta' went for it."

Eli's curious enough that she tilts her head, "Didn't you tell Maki a long time ago that you were worried about doing it?"

The way Maki's lips had tenderly slid against mine in a chaste kiss still feels fresh on my lips as I recollect the vulnerable softness of her voice when she asked if I was sure about losing my virginity. I hope Maki can vividly remember the way I had kissed her hard in response and carefully pushed her onto the bed.

"We talked about it," I shrug. No one needs to know the details but me, "and we were ready fairly quickly afterward."

Eli is nodding, as though reaffirming my statement, "Understanding is so important. I used to be worried that you two would butt heads too often, but it's always been obvious that you were both very close."

I smile at the thought of senior year, "I guess we've always been a healthy balance of both."

"Who was on top?"

"Nozomi!"

"Elichi, you need to understand that Nicocchi is a good friend of mine that I care a lot about and – "

"We switched," I cut her short so that she can shut up.

She seems surprised, "I would have thought you'd just be on top for the first time. You two became versatile rather quickly, didn't you?"

"Yeah, we did okay," I shrug. We both came twice, but I'll be damned before I tell either of them that. Plus, if I talk too much about that, I might have to take a quick visit to the bathroom.

I'm surprised that Eli pipes in, "Have you only done it the one time?"

"It was extremely hot in Aruba that night, which is why we were desperate to get into the pool after having already been to the beach that day. It was a great experience but there was no way we could have gone for a second round in that heat. It became unbearable by the last two days, which is why we flew back a day early," but, damn, I did love being naked with Maki in bed every second afterward. The only thing keeping me off her was the external heat, although I do admit that we idly nibbled at each other's shoulder from time to time. It was some weird thing that might have been a weak attempt at admitting we both still wanted to be intimate but that the heat wouldn't let us. Maki refused to _not_ cuddle despite the ridiculous temperature and the weak air conditioner, but I guess I can't say that I didn't want to cuddle, either.

"Temperature befitting the mood," Nozomi giggled.

Finishing my scones and iced tea, I manage to laugh, "You don't know the half of it."

The waiter suddenly arrives to ask us if we'd like the bill, to which we nod and follow with a polite thanks. The three of us begin to clean up, collecting our stuff onto one tray and bringing it over to the garbage after placing our money down. No change necessary, considering we've got a movie to catch at the cinema.

Nozomi's smile is suddenly a bit too mischievous once we're out of public ear, "Perhaps you should inform me, then."

I turn my attention to Eli and deadpan once I realize what Nozomi's talking about, "Are you weening her off of sex or something? Why is she this thirsty for information?"

Eli's crimson blush is enough to satisfy me, "Wh-What?! We do just fine! Right, Nozomi?"

"I don't know, Elichi," Nozomi feigns disappointment, "I miss the swirl maneuver you used to use… Why have you stopped?"

"OH MY GOD, SHUT UP!" I scream, ignoring Nozomi's laughter as both Eli and I attack her with soft punches.

Nozomi grins, taking the both of us in her arms, "I'm only messing with you two," she looks directly at me, "I'm so happy that you and Maki are even closer now."

I glance down at my left hand and look at the diamond encrusted gold band nestled perfectly upon my ring finger. I suppose they didn't notice.

It had been the morning after that we decided we couldn't stay for the full weekend without melting away, but little did I know that I had a surprise waiting for me.

Maki had insisted on going to the beach one last time, and I guess I didn't notice how anxious she seemed since I was pretty on board with going back as well. I wouldn't have thought that she'd be nervous about going to the beach when we had already gone several times during our stay.

It was a nice morning with a miraculous breeze, despite the heat that still managed to sizzle at the edges of our skin. Maki had reserved a white net hammock for us further down the shore from the hotel and, although the concept was simple enough, I was pretty happy with the idea that we would cuddle on a hammock for our last beach day. Maki even brought her beach bag and rubbed some sunscreen on me, which was great since it felt way cooler than the sun's rays. I did the same for her, and laying underneath the leaves of a palm tree helped so much more.

It had only begun to occur to me after a few minutes of talking that Maki seemed unreasonably anxious, and I was immediately worried since she had no reason to be indirect when the entirety of the vacation revolved around us being alone.

I remember kissing her jaw before asking, "Why are you so wired up? We're just relaxing."

She couldn't look me in the eye, "I appreciate what you did last night."

To loosen up the tension, I had decided to wink in the most exaggerated fashion that I could before saying, "I know… your body told me twice."

"D-Don't say that so casually!"

I made sure to tighten my arms around her, "You seemed nervous."

Understanding my gesture, she bashfully wrapped her arms in return. Beforehand, we had just been staring up at the clouds together side by side, making conversation both trivial and personal. Although, we did manage to successfully avoid the topic of what had transpired the night before.

"Nico, there's a reason that I wanted to go on vacation."

That had been surprising to me, "I thought it was just because we managed to book vacation days at the same time during our anniversary for once?"

"That did help, yes," she nodded, brushing a hair out of my face while I stared at her expectantly.

I smiled, "What's on your mind?"

Her eyes suddenly became determined once again after a moment of mulling over the situation and, with a sudden and intense blush, she quickly turned on her opposite side while managing to not fall off the hammock.

"Maki?"

She seemed to have dug through her bag, based on the sounds of the pull-strings, before turning right back with her hands hidden behind her. I recall feeling extremely confused, as I'm sure anyone would have.

I raised an eyebrow, "What's up?"

"I wasn't sure if I would be able to summon the courage to do this during our stay, but after showing me how brave you could be for me last night, I… There's no way I could allow myself to just give up on what I had set out to do when you were able to become fearless at a sudden moment."

I'm pretty sure I had been blushing, "I was scared out of my mind, what are you talking about?"

"But you still did it. That's what I mean. I'm scared, too."

"Scared of what, Maki?"

"This," she had said, shutting her eyes tight before bringing her arms forward and presenting a small pink box cupped in her hands. It didn't take me more than half a second to guess what it could have been, and I can distinctly remember my eyes blurring at the very thought of what she was possibly about to do.

"Maki, don't tell me this is –"

Opening her watery eyes with a ferocity that probably would've scared any normal person, she somehow managed to make direct eye contact with me, "I'm terrible at connecting with my emotions, but you're the only person that I have no trouble connecting to. We're both so stubborn and defensive and maybe even a little stupid, but that's what I want. You're what I want."

I smile at the memory wrapped around my finger as I blink away the oncoming tears, and I pray that Nozomi and Eli can't see the expression on my face, "I guess you could say that."


End file.
